HelloAngel
ONE love, blood, life
Fan who came back from injury relives U2's unforgettable fire
By Patrick Donovan
REBECCA Viney's heroes are U2, and she has twice met members of the band, but she can barely remember either occasion.
The first time came in 1989 when she was in a coma after being hit by a car in Punt Road. U2's Larry Mullen and Adam Clayton heard about her accident and stopped by for a visit. They arrived in a big black car, which they left in the ambulance bay, held her hand for a while and left her a U2 badge.
"It was interesting medically, because she was in a coma and was out cold, but her pulse started racing when Larry and Adam walked into her room," says Rebecca's mother, Donna Viney.
Then, on a visit to Dublin in 1995, she was invited to visit the whole band at their studio. At first she can't recall anything from the meeting — starstruck as she was — but after a while one incident come back to her.
"Bono was playing with his earring and I finally said, 'Do you want me to help you? Are you trying to get it out?' and he said, 'It's fine, I was going to give it to you.' I said, 'Thanks, if I was 13 it would have been great, but I don't need it now.' "
"They were very genuine," Donna says. "They were a real help to Rebecca during her rehabilitation — they gave her something to focus on. It's nice to know that Bono is just an ordinary fella, who does extraordinary things."
Rebecca, now 35, does not have a favourite U2 song (she likes them all), but she hates listening to Sunday Bloody Sunday because she was hit by the car on that day of the week, three weeks after she left school.
"I've always thought of John Lennon as my lord and my saviour," Rebecca says.
"And I thought I would never love anyone as much as the Beatles, but they're close. They are just normal people, but when I met them they were very beautiful and kind."
Rebecca will see her second favourite band for the third time on Sunday night.
She keeps a photo album of mementoes from her meetings with U2, and hopes they read this story and come around to lunch, because there are a few more pages to fill.
And maybe she will remember this one.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/music...orgettable-fire/2006/11/15/1163266640207.html
By Patrick Donovan
REBECCA Viney's heroes are U2, and she has twice met members of the band, but she can barely remember either occasion.
The first time came in 1989 when she was in a coma after being hit by a car in Punt Road. U2's Larry Mullen and Adam Clayton heard about her accident and stopped by for a visit. They arrived in a big black car, which they left in the ambulance bay, held her hand for a while and left her a U2 badge.
"It was interesting medically, because she was in a coma and was out cold, but her pulse started racing when Larry and Adam walked into her room," says Rebecca's mother, Donna Viney.
Then, on a visit to Dublin in 1995, she was invited to visit the whole band at their studio. At first she can't recall anything from the meeting — starstruck as she was — but after a while one incident come back to her.
"Bono was playing with his earring and I finally said, 'Do you want me to help you? Are you trying to get it out?' and he said, 'It's fine, I was going to give it to you.' I said, 'Thanks, if I was 13 it would have been great, but I don't need it now.' "
"They were very genuine," Donna says. "They were a real help to Rebecca during her rehabilitation — they gave her something to focus on. It's nice to know that Bono is just an ordinary fella, who does extraordinary things."
Rebecca, now 35, does not have a favourite U2 song (she likes them all), but she hates listening to Sunday Bloody Sunday because she was hit by the car on that day of the week, three weeks after she left school.
"I've always thought of John Lennon as my lord and my saviour," Rebecca says.
"And I thought I would never love anyone as much as the Beatles, but they're close. They are just normal people, but when I met them they were very beautiful and kind."
Rebecca will see her second favourite band for the third time on Sunday night.
She keeps a photo album of mementoes from her meetings with U2, and hopes they read this story and come around to lunch, because there are a few more pages to fill.
And maybe she will remember this one.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/music...orgettable-fire/2006/11/15/1163266640207.html
